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Sunday, January 31

Medical Marijuana

Certain states have legalized the medical use of marijuana while some others are expected to pass similar measures. As arguments for or against are flying to and fro, today, in Oakland, a new 15,000 s.f. warehouse called iGrow opens up to sell all you will need for medicinal marijuana cultivation. The managers have hired a doctor on site to provide you with the necessary cannabis card and whatever you need to grow the stuff (except for the seeds of course). On site technicians will happily demonstrate how you can set up a “farm house” in your home, how to proceed with the hydroponic cultivation, advise on the nutrients you will need and assist with weekly maintenance. The cost may rise to $1000 for an eight-plant system, and if you use half of the harvest you may sell the rest to a dispensary for a maximum of $12,000. Today’s opening will attract national media attention while three City Council members are expected to attend along with the leaders of the cannabis industry in the region.

Oakland residents voted last summer to regulate and tax “cannabis businesses” and have allowed the operation of four licensed dispensaries. That was hardly a “revolutionary act” within the realm of world history. Marijuana’s legitimate use goes back thousands of years. In 2737 BC the Chinese Emperor Shen Neng prescribed the plant for treating gout, rheumatism and poor memory. Various Hindu sects used it a stress-relief medication. Ancient physicians in Asia, Middle East and Africa distributed it for all sorts of ailments. In late 18th century America marijuana was prescribed for incontinence and sexually transmitted diseases. But in the early 20th century, with 2-5% of the American population addicted to morphine contained in medications like “The People's Healing Liniment for Man or Beast" the Food and Drug Administration was created to regulate marijuana use through the medical establishment. What we call today “medical use” in other words.

In 1914, the Harrison Act imposed a heavy tax on non-medical uses of the drug and punished anyone who obtained it without paying the tax. In 1937 the Marijuana Tax Act criminalized non-medical use while the 1950 Boggs Act and Narcotics Control Act established mandatory sentences for marijuana possessors and distributors. As times relaxed, in 1996 California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana and since then a number of states adopted similar measures. The arguments from both sides are serious. Critics point to the underground marijuana industry (in LA alone it is estimated that 1000 illegal shops are in operation), while supporters point to the plant’s qualities as a safe pain reliever, especially in severe illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS. Critics counter-attack by disputing the medical benefits when they are contrasted with possible health risks and consider the drug as “gate opener” to more potent narcotics. Supporters point to the lack of strong data that could support the latter argument and point to the prison population (the largest in the world), a quarter of which is imprisoned for drug-related crimes (In 2000 for example half of the convictions for possession led to a prison or jail term, while two-thirds of the trafficking convictions did).

Fast forward and back to Oakland. Watch the video Marijuana Superstore Opens. Would you support a similar measure for Florida? Post your opinion and then take a poll on the right so we can have an overall reflection of the students' attitude.

94 comments:

I would support a similar act in Florida. I do not think prescribing marijuana to people whose health could benefit would cause any more harm than the drugs like Xanax or Oxycontin that are prescribed and lead to overdoses. Why not legalize it for medical pirposes? If evidence shows that it relieves pain and is beneficial to a person's health then I think it would make sense. I am not saying to legalize it and make it readily available to everyone, though. As long as a person has the adequate card and is in need of it, then I believe that Florida should follow suit.

I would definitely agree with a similar act in Florida. It would help benefit people who actually need it, as well as stimulate the economy. People would be able to pick it up like they would a prescription at the pharmacy or grow it in the comfort of their own home. Making it easier for people who are handicap or have disabilities. The economy could also grow as a result. The state could put taxes on everyone who is involved with it, circulating more and more money. Growing marijuana can also make a lot of money, more than a years salary in 8 to 10 weeks. This could help many people solve their money issues and get back on track. There would still be flaws in the act, but overall I believe it would benefit more than it would hurt.

After watching my grandma live a very painful last few months as she died of cancer, I'd absolutely support the idea of using prescription marijuana for health purposes. One doctor even mentioned the fact that-if it were legal-marijuana may have been a very useful medication to [help] relieve her pain. Marijuana is an herb just like we use to boost our immune systems, fight colds, etc.... the problem with marijuana is obviously that it is easily abused. If people are addicted to cough medications, I don't see what would prevent them from developing the addiction to marijuana... that would be my main concern with the idea. Other than that, I'd not only support using it as a prescription drug, but also to legalizing it. If you think about it, the ability to tax the marijuana market would not only boost our economy, but also potentially reduce the number of people abusing it; many European countries can attest to the fact that alcohol is not as abused by minors in places where they CAN drink it as it is in places where they CAN'T. Why? Because we always want what we can't have. If marijuana was legal and relatively easy to acquire, it may just reduce the number of people desperate to have it... just a thought.

I would definitely support an initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Florida. First point: Florida needs tax money. Think of how much better our state would be if we had the taxable income from marijuana sales. Enough said. With proper governmental oversight, I think this could be a great cash crop for the state.Second point: I don’t believe for an instant that marijuana is a gateway drug. The people who say that they’ve gone from marijuana to other drugs often have addictive personalities, and would have progressed to harder drugs no matter what they stated with. Marijuana is a plant. And unlike cigarettes, it’s not treated with chemicals. I would rather smoke an untreated plant to handle pain relief than take codeine. Third point: Legalizing marijuana would greatly reduce the amount of people that are in jail/prison right now for marijuana related drug crimes. Making this legal would greatly reduce the amount of people selling and buying in back alleys and smoky clubs.Fourth point: In my opinion, marijuana is pretty much a harmless drug. It isn’t known for making people violent or reckless (unless you happen to be a Twinkie). You can’t overdose on marijuana (unless it’s laced with some other drug). I would rather live in a nation of people high on marijuana than any other drug.Please note, these comments are all from a person who has NEVER smoked marijuana, nor taken any other illegal drug. But I do have active prescriptions for Vicadin and Percocet. If there was another alternative out there, such as medical marijuana that I could use instead of these pills for my pain, I would be taking advantage of that opportunity.

To be honest, I am not sure where I stand on this issue. When someone has an illness that the medicinal marijuana can help them with, then that is one thing. However, I do not see why or how an individual who obtains a "card" and who uses only half of the harvest is able to sell back the marijuana to a dispensary for up to $12,000. Would this not cause some issues? Pretty much, from what I gather, an individual who obtains a card for medicinal marijuana can use the marijuana as well as make a profit off of the harvest because it is legal for them. But someone selling drugs on the streets can be put into jail for selling marijuana and using marijuana. How is this right? For me to be able to answer this question with a "yes" or "no" answer, I would have to better understand the premise for the "farm house" concept and get more questions answered on the difference between "street marijuana" and "medicinal marijuana". I suppose one thing is the economy would benefit from it if the marijuana is taxed. But that is just one plus. I like to weigh the goods and the bads before making any definite decisions.

I would support an act like this in Florida simply for tax purposes. If marijuana was legalized for medical purposes it could lead to the production of jobs and the taxes imposed on the drug would benefit the state. Ithink legalizing the drug is something not only the state but the government should take into consideration. The money from the taxes would benefit the economy.I have no experience on the use of the drug for pain, but if it helps patients who have cancer or AIDS I definitly wouldn't fight the issue.

I would deffinitely support the legallization of the medical use of marijuana in Florida. Oxycotton, vicaden, oxycodon,and xanax among with other pain medications are very very addicting, also many of these pain medications have led to overdosing, which is unheard of in smoking marijuana. It is also cheaper then pain medications and has know side affects besides being hungry, happy, and sleepy. Also the many of these pain medications have led to overdosing, which is unheard of in smoking marijuana. So if the legalization of medical marijuana can help people I say lets legalize it, but only for medical use.

I am not sure where I stand on this. I support the idea of prescribing medical marijuana to the chronically ill. I would have to disagree when it comes to the idea of growing marijuana within your own home. With no supervision there is a greater chance for abuse when it comes to medical marijuana as with any other substance. That is why I feel that it should be a prescribed medication as opposed to someone self-medicating. I would say one of the benefits of the building is an on staff doctor, allowing those who need medical marijuana to be able to get a permit for it. But before making an absolute decision I would have to weigh all the positive and negative aspects that come with the legalization of medical marijuana.

pricethepig2002 mentioned something that I forgot to... I don't particularly find the idea of people growing it in their homes incredibly appealing... at least not as long as marijuana is still illegal outside of medical uses.

After looking at the video and reading about the marijuana superstore I am still not sure if this will be a good idea or even something I would agree on. I feel as if they are promoting the use of marijuana. How is marijuana suppose to make a person feel better? I have never used or plan on using marijuana, but from what I heard it is a drug that suppose to relaxes you. If a person is sick in order to get better they go to a doctor, who can prescribe medicine. Well to sum it all up in a couple words I don’t think this is a good idea . While on the other hand it isn’t like this situation is going to stop the use of marijuana whether your are sick or not.

I would agree with the act to happen in Florida. In my opinion though, I think hospitals and severe patients should be given the prescribed drug. As long as it helps and benefits people with diseases and pains, it should be aloud to be distributed. Doctors shouldn't be aloud to write out a note to their patients that says that they should take it because they might addicted and that is definitly not what Florida is looking for. If the drug is used correctly, I do not see why Florida shouldn't use it. Anything that helps people out of misery is a plus and that is what we should do.

In regards to the medical use of marijuana, I believe I would support a similar measure for Florida. This measure seems appropriate when taking into consideration how the drug would be utilized and the effect it would have economically following legalization.The legalization of marijuana isn't a difficult concept for me to grasp because it would be understood in that situation that it would be for medical purposes. With a history of supposedly bettering things such as gout, rheumatism, poor memory, stress, incontinence, sexually transmitted diseases, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and general bodily pain, marijuana would serve a positive purpose in lessening the degree to which many people suffer otherwise painful ailments. It even seems that a strict medical need would have to be met in order to obtain the required cannabis card making it acceptable to grow and use the plant, leaving little room for deviant behavior. It also becomes increasingly difficult to support arguments that marijuana would actually cause more ailments (a large factor in holding back legalization), considering the lack of concrete evidence other than the opinion that marijuana is a "gateway drug". If marijuana is in some way making very debilitating ailments manageable, I think it would be wise to support that utilization.It also occurs to me that suppressing the marijuana industry would do more economical harm than allowing it to flourish. The heavy taxes that would have to be involved to allow the use of marijuana for non-medical purposes, were it possible, would only be bringing in money as opposed to spending mass amounts to keep the drug illegal. Keeping the drug illegal on the hasty assumption that it is on the same level as other drugs that have actually been shown to cause substantial damage only seems to prevent medical and economic improvement.

I would definitely support this act for Florida. Not only would it help the people who are sick and could really use it, it would also lower our crime rate a lot. wether its legal or not people are going to use it, legalizing it would just lower the amount of it that is on the streets because people would much rather get it legally, i would assume. I don't understand why america would have something like marijuana be illegal when it is proven to help relieve pain in those who need it. I know people argue that it is a "gateway" drug but any drug is a gateway drug if the person is willing to do it illegally.

I would support similar measures in Florida, I'm a strong believer in that people can take care of them selves. if anyone chooses to abuse this "Drug" then they will suffer the natural ramifications. I'm not sure what the natural ramifications are but i am sure there must be some or it would not be illegal in the first place? I can assure you drinking alcohol is by far a more dangerous practice of intoxication with few medical benefits aside from pain relief. As for the "gate-opener" theory, well that's like saying we can't let people drive because they might speed. Our government can stop treating us like children now, The United states isn't going to fall apart at the seams because some people choose to smoke a leaf.

I would support a similar Act like the one in Oklahoma for here in Florida. As long as the growers and buyers all have the necessary paper work and licenses, I don’t see why it shouldn’t be legal. Marijuana under supervision from a doctor is harmless. In the contrary it would alleviate many people’s aches and discomforts. Although, I am sure many will abuse such rights with underground productions and such. The taxes alone should be worth considering establishing such an act. As far as being a “gateway” drug, I think anything can be a gateway drug if the person wishes it to be.

I am definitely for that idea. I support it 100%. We already have a bad economy, imagine the impact it would have as far as economical reasons go. I also think that there has never been a stable decision marijuana, some states allow it, other don’t. I almost wanna say make your mind. I don’t think it’s a harmful drug and getting “addicted” to it all is base on your personality, if it was so harmful, it wouldn’t have been around for so long and so accessible just about to everybody. I think they should do something like that in Florida, it’s just the right thing to do.

I believe that Florida and all states would benefit from this act. If marijuana can help a person who is living in pain why would Florida not want to legalize it? There are many more powerful and dangerous drugs on the market. If you look at the overdoses leading to death rates of OxyContin in the United States you will see that it is the second leading cause in accidental deaths. According to drugwarfacts.org, there are no reported overdoses of Marijuana. I also believe the taxation of cannabis and all related paraphernalia will only help the economy. It will create more jobs and it will help regulate the use of Marijuana.

I would have to support legalizing this act in Florida. Besides all of the negative representation its inhumane to deny chronically ill people relief. I know there is always chance for abuse but there isn't a drug available that people wouldn't abuse. Given the opportunity people would abuse alcohol, prescription drugs, glue or even permanent markers. This shouldn't ruin it for people who can be helped by marijuana's benefits. I know everyone wants to label marijuana as good or bad but it just depends on how people use it. The economy can also benefit by placing taxes on marijuana like they have already done in other states. This can act can benefit the state of Florida given the chance.

The legendary healer, not only heals but calms obsessive compulsive behavior/social anxiety disorder. On the other hand, the pills that doctors prescribe today for obsessive compulsive /social anxiety disorders can turn you into a vegetable by the time your 50. When people smoke the green, it helps to take away their agony, pain, & despair. In some cases it presents a numbness to release their fears. From the beginning of time, the fire has been used for a number of reasons. When a person smokes the pot, they probably just want to buy a CHEETO, not commit a crime. Where is the crime in that?

I really hope we have an act passed in Florida that supports medical marijuana. From a conflict perspective, I think that the illegalization of drugs have created a billion dollar industry in the criminal justice system. Private prison corporations have an economic windfall in “mandatory sentencing” for things like possession of narcotics. I, and many others, parallel it to Prohibition. When alcohol was made illegal, an entire criminal subculture was born. When made legal again, “the crooks” were no longer spilling blood to push alcohol. I’m not naïve to the issues that alcohol creates now. But with respect to marijuana, I’ve never heard of anyone doing much of anything while smoking it (except maybe eating). It relieves pain and helps with nausea that accompanies many ailments and treatments. There are plenty of prescription drugs people abuse and we still allow them because of their benefit (insert oxycontin, vicoden, percoset, etc.) These prescription drugs are much more harmful than the natural herb, marijuana. We need to stop criminalizing marijuana and throwing it in with all other narcotics. I know it will hurt the private prison’s bottom line, but it will relieve a lot of people from debilitating symptoms.

I would support medical marijuana in Florida. There are already 13 states that have legalized medical marijuana. I do not see a problem with this because marijuana has been shown to help in many ailments. People use it to ease pain, to assist in gaining weight (such as in cases of anorexia), to help glaucoma, etc. Also, I do not think that marijuana poses as much of a problem as most prescription drugs do. Prescription drugs often have numerous side effects that cause more problems with the individual whereas marijuana has been shown to have very few side effects at all.

Personally, I think marijuana should be legalized in general. there are many more harsher drugs out there that cause worse problems. If anything a bigger problem is alcohol which is a substance that is legal and seems to have way more severe consequences. I hear on the news all the time about teens and even adults who get in car accidents and kill people due to drinking and driving. Or even doing stupid things involving alcohol when not even driving. Also I know many people who have had issues with people in their families who struggle with alcoholism. I know someone personally who struggles with it herself. She lost her job, the rights to her kids, and her dignity. She has been in and out of jail due to her struggle with alcoholism which once again is a legal substance.Alcohol may be legal but it ruins lives, if alcohol is legal...why not marijuana? As far as it being legal for medical reasons, obviously i agree with this and i hope a similar act comes to Florida. If it cannot be legal for everyone i think it should at least be legal for people with medical conditions who truly need it. My father is actually suffering with one of the diseases that was listed in this article, Multiple Sclerosis, and i think if marijuana was legalized for him it would benefit him greatly.

I do not believe in the medical distribution of marijuana. Studies of marijuana have shown that other medicines treat many of the same ailments better than marijuana can. The smoke from marijuana contains carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals. The smoke has also been shown to weaken the immune system and makes the user more prone to infections. Also, the use of marijuana can be a gateway drug that leads to more dangerous narcotics. I also don’t understand why we should try to legalize and distribute marijuana while we have other medicines that can do a better job without the trouble. I also believe that legalizing marijuana would not be able to be monitored correctly by the government and police forces. In conclusion, I believe marijuana should not be legally distributed in the state of Florida.

I think that it wouldnt be a bad idea to make that a legalized decision for florida. I believe that the only reason that it hasnt made it in already is because they can barely control the taxes on how much product is being sold. If it will help the patients who probably need it to eiminate stress and other problems or diseases then why not legalize it. It cant be much more harmful then the drugs whose side effects are already worse then the illness. I dont necessarily agree with the idea of selling it back being as though most of the youth population are spending their time behind bars for a similar offense. How would this be controlled. I do not smoke so this law wouldnt be beneficial to me but I do see the positive as well so I do agree.

Yes I support the right for medical use of marijuana. Marijuana is used for many diseases like Lupus. Marijuana is used to relieve joint pain, relieve headaches, and relieve may other symptoms. Marijuana induces an appetite in Lupus patients. Lupus patients have time where they vomit and need to eat so that they don’t suffer from malnutrition. I also believe that marijuana is a stress reliever. Bipolar patients can benefit from medical marijuana since it is calms behavior down. I took a poll in the nationhood and 2 out of 7 said no that they would not support medical marijuana.

I think Florida should make Marijuana legal for many different reasons. For example a person with cancer experiences severe pain while going through kimo. If Marijuana was legal in not just Florida but all states people with cancer would feel less pain. In the case of people who have AIDS, there T-cell counts are very low, meaning; their immune systems are very weak. Since Marijuana is a herb it can be used to boost your immune system. The only problem with Marijuana is the fact that the substance is abused. With it legalized it can be easier to accesses for the people that do abuse it, which is one of the downsides of Medical Marijuana. I feel that if Marijuana was legalized the people that really did need it would not be punished for having it. Not only that but the tax on the substance you could use to put back into the economy.

I would support an act like this being passed in Florida. If people’s health will benefit from this I don’t see why there would be any negative sides to this. Marijuana, in most cases, is not a harmful drug, and you can’t get physically hurt from it. It’s not like other painkillers that get prescribed that people have over dosed on. If researchers think that it can relieve a persons pain and can help them with there illness, there should be no problem with this being legal in Florida. Also another good reason for this is it would create more jobs for our state. In this hard economical time it would be able to create jobs for some people who are unemployed, and the state could make money off the taxing of it.

I do not think we should legalize "Medical Marjuana". This is because it tells the rest of our society that this drug is ok. Personally I avoid drugs at any cost such as Advil, Tylenol and other types, unless it is necessary. Promoting a drug that promotes laziness, not working and over eating I think would be detrimental to our society. I agree with other people it is safer and more natural most of the time the Xanax or Oxycontin but its the stereotypes and problems that come along with it. I don't know why people complain, people smoke all the time anyway and if you let your government tax it and control the industry the price is going to dramatically rise. With all the illegal marijuana already in the country and all that comes in, these benefits the government will supposedly have will be gone because no person will pay more for "weed" when most people who buy "weed" are not sophisticated to begin with. Another point almost 1,200 people in Florida alone died because of drivers under the influence. Besides red, half shut eyes how would a police officer know you were driving under the influence and enforce the law? Yes people drink and drive all the time but do we really want another legal substance to worry about? Also the money that people spend to buy illegal weed, which they still will, goes to drug cartels, who kill innocent civilians for political control in many South American countries. Supporting this drug would be supporting innocent deaths. We've all heard of the growing problems in Mexico that are leaking into our borders. It is because we finance these people.

I don’t know how I feel about legalizing medical marijuana. I can see the use for a pain reliever but like any prescription drug how would they control it. People can fake stuff like neck pain and stuff. Only if medical marijuana, was used for diagnosed cases like cancer, Aids, MS that might be different another story. However if it is controlled by pharmacies, we all know that pharmacies and doctors are (if you will) in bed together and doctors seem to prescribe medicine for everything. I don’t know that that is good for us. I believe that is one way viruses for example mutate and a new drug has to be developed for the new mutated virus. I know that penicillin is given much too often and people grow tolerant to it. Doctors have to find a new medicine to treat patient. I also believe that yes it medical marijuana could grow in to something stronger. So right at this point in my life I am torn between the good and bad and am not sure how I feel about legalizing it.

I will never support the legalization of marijuana, nor will I ever find it necessary to be if not only for medical purposes. If this act supports only trained, medical dispensers than that’s acceptable. The difference between medical and personal usage of marijuana are as different as apples and oranges, and should only be appropriate for treating pain or any other inflictions that cause a person to suffer. I find it unnecessary for an act to legalize it completely for anyone who doesn’t even need it. And the guide to help form a “farm” in your home should be kept confidential for those who are medically trained to handle it, not just to anyone who comes and wants a cannabis card. As far as needing money, I’m pretty sure the government can find something else to tax us on, it’s never stopped them before.

I would definitely agree with most people with legalizing medical marijuana in Florida. As well as it helping people with their health and giving them the appropriate dosage and use. In addition, i believe it may also go a completely different direction where individuals will abuse the legalization of it and use in for the wrong purposes. Doctors need to come up with a way to make sure that people with health issues are getting the cure that they need. Also, that people on the streets who tend to abuse it do not get out of control.

I support the legalization of medical marijuana in the state of Florida. There should be strict rules and regulations if it is to be legalized.

The facilities that distribute the marijuana should be state approved, have strict guidelines, and be visited regularly authorities. If the facility violates distribution of the product to anyone that shouldn't receive it then they should have to pay a huge penalty.

Doctors should have to be state approved to dispense the product. If the state holds the Doctors and distribution centers accountable for fraudulent dispensing of the drug then that would reduce the illegal shops forming.

Marijuana for medical purposes would generate a lot of revenue for the state. I don't believe people should be in constant pain, but if it is legalized medically, what's the next step?

I most definitely agree with legalizing medical marijuana in the state of Florida. Not to say I agree with any of the other hard drugs that are out there but if it's something that is helping people with their pain management then lets bring it here. I also think that marijuana should be controlled with the same laws as we do alcohol in the state of FL; over the age of 21, not driving while under the influence of it, and no substances in your car or selling it illegally. The more people say can't do something the more people are likely to do it anyways. And this way it's in a more controlled environment and it will definitely lower our prison population.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this. On the one hand some people might really need it for medical purposes (even though I’m not sure why cannabis would be better than taking regular pain relieving medicine) and on the other hand this whole thing has the potential to blow up in our faces. The clichés “give them an inch and they take a mile” and “where there’s a will, there’s a way” come to mind. Even though sellers and buyers would be required to have a medical card, underground markets , theft, and document forgery are developed enough that I’m sure it’d only be matter of time for people who planned on using cannabis “recreationally” would figure out a way to acquire the drug “legally”. Which if you really stop to think about it, people doing cannabis isn’t that big of a deal, it is legal in many other countries with certain restrictions (like alcohol), my biggest concern being that because America is such a vast country the likeliness of people driving under the influence would probably be high (no pun intended). So I guess I’m saying I wouldn’t mind if there was a way to insure public safety. (Even though the same could be said about alcohol.)

Although an act like this may be beneficial to those with medical needs, i can't help wondering if this health resource would be abused. I feel that it the marijuana was distributed within a hospital that would be understandable. But as far as bringing it into their own home I'm not so sure. What i know about marijuana is that it is addictive and for those who use it as a medical need to relieve pain, what happens after they are healed? It is possible they could grow addicted and be without a prescription. Then they are stuck and will find other ways of getting the drug. But there still is pros and cons to this act and all i have to say is I'm glad I don't have to make the decision.

In my personal opinnion, I htink that if marijuana was leaglized in Florida, not as many people would smoke it recreationaly. I would support having something similar to iGrow come to Florida. Marijuana should be allowed to be used to improve medical conditions as does Oxycotin, Xanax, and Morphine. Prescription drugs are purposly made to do for the better, why should't weed be aloud to do the same. Any drug can go bad when in the hands of the wrong people, but if were taking the risk for all the stronger prescription drugs, Marijuana should be treated so as well. Weed is not as strong or addicting as much as many of the other drugs and if it can be used then doctors need to look more into it. A program like iGrow could show the people of Florida that marijuana does not have to be a bad thing if it is treated proberly in the right hands.

I would fully support a similar measure coming to florida because I strongly believe marijuana shouldn't be illegal anyways. I feel it is not any worse than alcohol. In my opinion its better and less dangerous to other people. Medical purposes should just be the start of legalizing it all the way. It effects everyone differently. Now the down side to marijuana becoming legal in Florida is people will pillage and plunder to get to it. Just like they do with perscription drugs. It could fall into the wrong hands which i think no doubt it would.

Last night I watched an interview with the manager or owner of a similar shop. He said that his total taxes to the state and federal government together were close to $800,000.No... there is o extra zero there....

Definitely NOT! “If you give someone an inch they will take a mile.” Although the intentions and motives of this project are good and for the well-being of the ill this project seems nearly ridiculous to me. If there are so much “Underground Marijuana Industries” and the product is illegal imagine how those industries will flourish once it is basically legal for “medical use” and someone can grow it in their back yard! This is foolishness! Now, I am not disagreeing on the fact that marijuana has the potential to relieve pain and supply aid to those with detrimental illness as AIDS and Cancer but I disagree with the desire to the have a store that dispenses this product and shows shoppers how to grow marijuana in their backyards. We have to remember the addiction that can develop and how we all know someone who is a doctor and can forge a signature of us. It has happened before on many lighter issues. If this pursuit is to be effective and productive patients should not be handling or possessing the crop. This is a good idea but the kinks need to be worked out before a harmless pursuit leaves our nation strung out on drugs. I would not support these measures if it is brought to Florida.

I have mixed feelings about legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes in Florida. There are quite a few positives in regards to using marijuana for medical reasons. For people who are suffering from diseases such as cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and even for people with glaucoma, it would help tremendously to ease their pain. However, there are other prescription narcotics that can do the same thing, without polluting the body with carcinogens and other harmful chemicals. Legalizing this drug could very possibly lead to people wanting to use (and possibly become dependent) on stronger illegal drugs. Also, it would seem that the opening of a marijuana superstore like the one in the video would open the doors to more problems, possibly making marijuana growing more accessible to people that do not really need it for medicinal purposes.

I would support the movement to legalize medical marijuana. I think that it would help the people out that are suffering and will make their lives easier so i dont see a reason not to. Also you could tax it which would create alot of extra tax money for the government to use which could help for numerous things. It also does not have all of the possible side effects that pills do. So in my opinion there is no downside to this.

I say yes to medical marijuana. In the beginning, I was not sure about it because of the effect it gives on marijuana users. Since marijuana is a plant, it is considered natural. Marijuana can benefit from chronic cancer patients and provide symptom relief. Medically, I'm supportive. As long as it is being vendered at a pharacutical drug store, I dont see the harm in it. If you think about it. It's like taking morfine. Morfine is a pain reliever. It can be abused but it is well monitored and handled carefully. Maybe marijuana can have the same priviledges as morfine does.

I'm not sure if I would completely support this act of marijuana being legalizing it in Florida. Only because, when you give people that can ulter there action to the unknown could be dangous. But , on the other hand if it could help save a life I am all for it.My mother has a cancer that is alowly taking her eye sight, and one of the treatments she could have chose from was to smoke marijuana. It came with a catch -22 we would have had to move to californa being that for medical purposes it has be legalized. I look at marijuana as the same as drinking liquior; some people can hanle it and others dont know when to say when. But, because Florida tends to not have a mind of its own it will sooner or later legalize marijuana.

I support legalization of marijuana in Florida for medical purpose only. However the argument against it (marijuana leads to other drugs) I support as well. For example Oxycotton is a powerful drug many users of this drug are not medically needy of it, therefore they become addicted and start on illegal substances. Many medications lead to other stronger drugs whether there legal or not it happens. But this drug helps with pain for cancer patients which are an epidemic all over the world as well as AIDS. Marijuana could help a lot of people and let’s face the facts people smoke weed everyday in Florida and I doubt anyone is going to stop even if it is illegal so legalization would not hurt anyone that needed it for pain. It would only help.

I would support the legalization of medical marijuana in Florida. I think its benefits outweigh its risk as it will be used as a pain reliever. Therefore, it's actually easing people's pain and suffering. Besides, it will also provide several job opportunities and the state will benefit from taxing it; so it will also help stimulate the economy. The only risk is that people might abuse it, but people already abuse prescription drugs and alcohol and marijuana can't be worse. However, the government can set some strict laws to restrict its use. To sum it up, three sides would benefit by legalizing the use of medical marijuana: patients, unemployed people, and the state.

I definitely would not support an act like this coming to Florida. I do not see this being useful for health purposes at all, I think people would abuse this just so they can get high “legally”. If people today abuse prescription drugs by selling them to make a profit, or just over dosing on the prescription drugs their selves, I definitely see people doing this with medical marijuana. I also think that with medicine advancing today we will not need medical marijuana to provide treatment for the ill. I can’t even imagine driving around Tampa and seeing a store like iGrow, I mean what has society come to where they have a whole store to show you how to grow marijuana.

When I was in high school, many years ago; I did smoke marijuana. For me it was not addicting and when I decided that I wanted more out life than just to party and have fun, I stopped smoking and I have not had the need to smoke since. A lot of people want this legalized because they want to smoke pot. I do not know the facts, if a person can actually receive benefits from marijuana or not; however, if there is a small chance that it would benefit someone with cancer, aids or other ailments I believe it should be legal. My big concern is that in California everyone knows what Doctor to visit and what to say to get a prescription, it’s a big joke. How do we help those who need it, without making it so easy for abuse? I think that is the question that must be answered.

I would definitely be able to stand behind Florida allowing marijuana to be used for legal purposes. Personally, I would stand behind have it decriminalized in the States completely. I feel that the biggest issue behind having marijuana legalized is money. The government can not seem to rein in the underground marijuana industry in order to tax it and make money off of it. For a product that has, for centuries, been used to heal and relieve people's ailments be deemed illegal when something as bad as cigarettes are being sold not just by the pack but by the carton, is just ridiculous. Cigarettes are addictive and have far more bad side effects than benefit. My only conclusion is that cigarettes can be tracked and taxed. If Florida were to adopt legalized medical use of marijuana maybe that will open the door to completely decriminalizing its use. I'd rather the government gain tax money from marijuana purchases than wasting my tax money on filling up prisons and jails with people that only used it.

I wouldn't see this act as a problem in Florida. I don't think marijuana should be illegal if alcohol isn't, because I've heard people die, because of a situation involving alcohol, but never marijuana. Obviously if medical marijuana becomes legal it's going to get in the hands of a lot of people, but some people do need it as a pain reliever of if they have bad nerves. Marijuana became illegal, because it's a "poor man's drug" but mostly everyone i have ever talked to said they at tried it once. It's actually harmful if you don't become addicted. Now a person being addicted is a problem, because they're just not satisfied with reality so they never want to be sober and those people might need therapy and that's how it would become a gateway drug. Other than that a person who occasionally does it doesn't seem to be a problem; it just makes you sleepy, happy, and hungry.

In my opinion I’m not sure whether or not Florida should legalize marijuana. There are both pros and cons to this matter. On the brighter side of things, if Florida took these measures into affect there would be a lower rate of illegal drug selling and marijuana would be beneficial to those who need it for medical uses. With the falling economy, selling marijuana and opening stores like “iGrow” could increase job openings for the unemployed. Using marijuana could help many of those who are suffering from diseases in which it could cure or relieve pain. On the other hand, if marijuana is legalized it would bring up more discussion of allowing other drugs like meth, ecstasy, and etc. to be legal. Some people may get the impression that all drugs should be legalized. Also, it comes to my concern about all the people that have gone to prison because of encounters dealing with marijuana. Would they still be left in jail til their sentence is over? What will happen with them if Florida does indeed legalize marijuana? There are still some things that I question which is why I’m unsure about the legalization of marijuana.

I really do not know what to think about this Marijuana issue. I think that I would support it if it is just for medical reasons, for the people that are on pain. The bad thing is that people will start abusing and when they get addict it to it they are just going to pretend that they are sicker every single day, so they can be HIGH every single day. It will be good for taxes. I think it will help the economy. Regarding on growing it on your house, not agree with that. I think it will be very harmful.

After seeing some of the pros and cons of its use in it's stint in California I would support it's medicinal use in Florida. One problem I would have with it being used is that it's going be abused and overused because most people don't use it for medicine. Also, the process of getting a card seems too easy and corrupt, “The managers have hired a doctor on site to provide you with the necessary cannabis card and whatever you need to grow the stuff.” This just doesn't seem legit and they only hired doctors to just give away cars to whomever wanted one.

I would support a similar act in florida. I believe it would stimulate the economy just look at mendocina california a whole county supported by cannabis growers. The demand for marijuana is very great in this state and I believe we could pull our state out of recession with the taxation and regulation of marijuana. The only problem I believe that might arise from the legalization and taxation of marijuana is escalation of harder drugs being pushed on the streets. No one would want to go to a shady dealer for marijuana if you could just go to 7-11 and pick up a pack of pre-rolled joints or blunts. Meanwhile that dealer decides maybe to start selling crack or heroine and we may see a rise in harder drug use and abuse-

I would support a similar act in Florida. As long as Marijuana helps and benefits people with diseases and pains,we should take that into consideration.I was watching the national geographic channel and they were talkin about Marijuana,this lady was perscribed to use it for her pain that was in her knee.She smoked it at least 6 times a day.So I think it we should support a similar act like this in Florida.

I would support this act for Florida. I believe that this type of business will create jobs to our economy and increase the tax rate. The rate of the unemployment going up, this will allow people to gain legal employment and will prevent less incarceration. While at the same time it is providing more tax money towards the state. To be honesty, I believe that all of the states should jump on the band wagon. Maybe this will allow our county to get out of the deficit that we are currently in. The only negative aspect of this is that maybe the one’s who are licensed to grow might sell their products to the local street entrepreneurs.

I fully support the initiative to bring medical marijuana to Florida. The idea of opening up another sector of jobs would do a great deal of good for the state. It could be a new spin on the on the going green marketing campaign. The war on drugs, at least marijuana, in Florida seems to be a losing battle; which becomes more and more evident with each concert I attend.

In all seriousness though, why would we hold back a drug that would allow people in severe pain something that would provide them relief? Again also providing new jobs to the ailing economy in Florida, and allowing those medical users who cultivate it to sell it back to legal dispensaries. One of the arguments for not allowing the legalization of marijuana is that it is considered to be a gateway drug. I find this reasoning to be quite flawed because if this line of thinking was correct, then why are alcohol or tobacco legal?

I would not support the legal distribution of medical marijuana in the state of Florida. Marijuana is now the most abused illicit drug in the United States. It contains many carcinogens and the main active ingredient THC. THC rapidly passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream and immediately affects the brain. It is known to cause increased rapid heart rate by 20 to 100 percent and even increases the risk of heart attack. It also has the effects on heart rhythms, causing palpitations and arrhythmias. There is a greater risk with aging populations or those with cardiac vulnerabilities. The government also would not be able to regulate the use of every person’s growing or using the medical cannabis. There would be an even greater population of illegal selling on the streets.

I would support a similar act in florida.I feel like sick people need this as a medicine while there in pain due to what ever they have. People should get this drug if its severe pain not juss going around passing this drug for stupid pain they can get tylenol or what ever.but then again sometime i feel like hey let everybody just grow this we pay taxes and there.even though i do believe marijuana can be addicting what other medicine that doctors dont give out isn't addicting.I feel like marijuana is not a bad drug you just get high and once high want to sleep and eat.I dont know there is a good blog and when i read other it sometime change my perspective.

i honestly can't say whether or not i support this. In todays society alot of people can get there hands on this no problem. last year in the highschool there were over 10 drug dealers that were known to the students and they sold everything from marijuana to cocaine. that in itself is an issue because it is readily available to teens. Using that knowledge i can see why alot of people consider marijuana a gateway drug. If you look at it from a studentspoint of view marijauana is not only accesible but its cheap and alot of people use it so even some of the kids who are considred goody two shoes will do it just because there friends are doing it. I under stand that this law would act for medicinal purpouses but from what i read by allowing this there letting people grow the stuff in there house. for me i see that as a whole lot of peopele growing it and selling it for profit.sure they say you can sell back any unused product for up to 12 thousand dollars but all that person has to do is grow a bunch of it sell half to kids on the street use a quarter for medicinal purpouses and sell the rest back to the government. which increases the amount being sold illegally and increases the amount of people who use it illegally simply because it is so accesible. now one of the comments i read made a refrence to alchol use in eurpean countries and how it is less abused there. while i agree that is the case with alchol out of all the people i know who do smoke marijauna not one of them abuses it it is just illegal so people assume that if your using it your abusing it.

I am also not sure how I feel about this for the simple reason that this could very well go both ways. Although, I would love to believe that if we were to legalize medical marijuana, there would be no reprocussion.However, we live in the real world and we know that people take advantage all the time. It happens every day with painkillers and how patients sell those to people who do not need them. However, should we deprive patients who really could be helped by it because of these people? It is a difficult decision that i believe may have many pro's and con's.

I highly support the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes in Florida. Many people can benefit from its use and it's not really harmful. Marijuana has been around for centuries now, and there is no evidence that marijuana causes death. There are other drugs out there that are legal that causes death such as tobacco and alcohol. However, marijuana is not harmful and people can benefit from it by its medicinal use. Its use for treating cancer can help many americans, so why don't we legalize it? It is a harmless drug that has the potential to save lives.

I would support the act if they were to pass it n florida. Because I believe the drug should be legalized and the only reason they trying to keep the drug from being leagal is that the goverment can't fully control it. With this act they would be able to find some way to tax marijuana users and people trying to harvest it.

I would support it if it didn't look to easy to get around. I completely understand and agree with medicinal uses for cannibis. My mother died of cancer, and believe me, we heard our fair share about it. I believe it is a great thing, if you need it for medical purposes.

But with this "iGrow" store, it seems easy to go in, fake a physical and get your "ID card" to grow your own.

I would fully support it if it didn't seem like it would be a peice of cake to get away with.

I believe that the legalization of Marijuana in Florida could be very helpful to our patients to relieve the pain that they go through during cancer. Unfortunately, a drug such as Marijuana is very badly abused already and making it legal in the end would probably do more harm than good. Its sad to see how many people die of cancer and I believe everyone knows someone who has been affected by the disease. It would be great if the drug could be used just for patients that actually NEED it instead of using it for their own satisfaction.

I really don’t know if I would 100% support marijuana as a medical use or as a legal substance. There are pros and cons about marijuana. The positive and negative side of marijuana is debatable. Although it helps some ill people to get over their pain, I think people would use the “medical use of marijuana” as an excuse to just smoke it legally. People can easily go to a doctor’s office and make stuff up about their health to get the doctor write them a prescription saying that they can use marijuana as a medical drug. Marijuana may not be physically addicting, but it is sometimes mentally addicting because people are just so used to smoking it that they get headaches if they do not continue to do so. Ever since people heard about California legalizing marijuana, many people are talking about Florida needing to legalize it or at least aloud the use of marijuana as medical purposes.If Florida were to legalize marijuana, they would make an enormous amount of money by taxing it. I think Florida needs that right now. I think that many other states would also be benefited. But then again, would this get out of hand because we have too many people smoking it due to the fact that they can get away with it? I will just leave it to the state to decide whether they will legalize marijuana. I don’t smoke it or need it for medical purposes so it doesn’t hurt me but I know many others that do.

I think that the use of medical marijuana is a good idea and that an act to allow people to buy it without precautions is an even better idea. So in retrospect I would agree with an act to have a warehouse so people with problems can buy their pain reliever. To justify my point I say that marijuana is no more harmful than all the other prescription drugs that doctors prescribe to patients. And more then likely the patient will be addicted to the pills or other drugs more easily then weed. So to end my point. I think it is a great idea to make medical marijuana legal, especially if they tax it.

I would support legalizing marijuana for medical and general population use in Florida. I do not think legalizing marijuana would be any worse than prescription pain killers that people are able to get. I do not see the drug as a "gate way drug" to other drugs. Just because you use marijuana, does not mean that you are going to use other drugs. I think that if the person wants to do other drugs, then they will and if they do not, then they will not. It is a case by case basis. I feel that marijuana is the least addictive when compared to cigarettes, alcohol and addictive pain killers. I think to legalize marijuana would be a benefit that the entire country would see. The jails would be less populated and in return we would not be paying for a person to stay in prisons for having marijuana. It would provide a source of revenue and jobs for local, state and US government. The economy is struggling and instead of gangs, drug dealers and criminals making money off marijuana, the state and the US government should be.

This issue is very controversial in its essence. On one side it provides health relief for patients with a lot of pain but on the other hand it could lead to even more health risks and distribution to people who don't really need it like kids on the street. I think right now Florida is in no need for more drug related deaths and imprisonments and I think that it is too controversial to pass without in depth research into how this drug is a health risk. I would recommend that Florida hold off on it as a law because it opens a gateway for more crime and misuse than the benefits that are presented. These left over supplies could be sold to anyone and could end up in the wrong hands.

I am not 100% sure if I would support legalization of Medical Marijauna because there is a battle with moral concepts. It is like, do you legalize it and deal with the fact that there are going to be abusers (which will be many)and knowing that the only gain will be money and relief for the patients that really need it. Then again I really haven't seen any harm done to those that do smoke it illegally (as long as it doesn't get laced with other drugs). For the economy purposes its a wise decision to open up the market and legalize it completely to everyone, but as someone has argued before it opens up the doors for more drugs, then more abuse would follow and eventually people will have destroyed themselves all at the governments decision to make money.

To recapture what I have read so far: Most support a similar measure. You also expressed concerns about possible health risks. However, those are true for every prescription medication. Take a look at this ad for example at the side effects of ADDERALLOr go this this site for a list of all drugs, their use and their side effects.

Mike B and others mentioned the availability of marijuana inside the high school. Many more students have described similar incidents in their school environment. believe it or not, it is less frequent in college than in high school.

I strongly support the same act Oakland is having. As long as it is for the right reason, medical purposes, I would support it. Marijuana has been around for a long time, and I have never read an article that marijuana killed a person. Marijuana does not make you droswy therefore many patients can still work if they have a job. But, i am against the fact that the patient can grow it in there own household with no supervision and abuse it such as selling it to others. Marijuana should only be prescribed a specific amount for a months worth.

I strongly agree with most people's opinions about the legalization of medical marijuana. There has never been a reported incident with anyone ever overdosing on marijuana, and the term "gate-way drug" has been loosely tossed around as the biggest reason why it should not be legalized, is ridiculous to me. Legalizing a natural herb cannot cause as much harm as most prescription medication that is circulating now. If the pros and cons are weighted out, the positive outdoes the negative. Legalizing medical marijuana as most people have mentioned already, it would help our economy immensely. I do strongly believe that if people had more knowledge about the herb and know what affects it has, there would be much less abuse. But we can no longer keep the topic taboo and look down on it. I believe it was put on this earth for a reason, so why not appreciate it. :)

I would have to agree that something similar should be brought to Florida. I understand there are many pro's and cons to this topic depending on which angle you look at it. One could look at the situation and, say how much it can help people who really need it. Seeing how the state of Florida has such a large population of elderly people this could become a major benefit to them and, the states economic hardship. Some people look at it as being a gateway drug which many people would argue against. The conflict of Marijuana vs. Alcohol has been something going on for many years. Never have I heard of someone overdosing on marijuana as opposed to someone dying from alcohol poisoning. In my opinion I do think that Florida should do the same.

In my opinion, creating a law that supports medical marijuana is a step in the right direction and I would 100% agree with it. This "drug" is no more harmful then alcohol(liver posioning), cigarettes(lung cancer), and prescription drugs like Xanax(heart attacks). Now if these are legal, why isnt marijuana? Cancer patients have proven that marijuana is helpful and necessary for those that can't keep food down because of chemo. What we need to do is stop fighting this useless battle against marijuana and regulate it. Stop overloading our prisons and wasting our tax money. If it is proven to help people who are sick, why is it still illegal?

I do not agree with legalizing people to grow marijuana here in Florida. Even if a person must obtain a license to grow marijuana people tend to want more money. The possibility that a person would go around and sell the marijuana they grow to someone besides the medical facilities is quite high, especially in areas of Florida that have major drug problems. If one is to grow marijuana it should be in a facility that has to have the numbers of plants and where the money comes from become regulated like a business. It should not be for any person to gain access to by the possibility of a license. If they want to create tax money through such means they should establish a company that is regulated in order to insure that people do not start to misuse the drug.

As much as I would like to support a similar act for Florida because I do believe it would help cancer patients and people with medical needs for it I do not support it. As the old saying goes it only takes one to ruin it for everybody. Even though there are people out there who it would benefit its just another way for people who don't need it to try to manipulate to get it. Plus I think marijuana would just be the start. If your going to legalize what they call the "gateway" drug what are people going to want to legalize next? I think it would just open up a can of worms that doesn't need to be opened!

Yes, I would support a similar claim for medical marijuana in Florida. Working in an environment where I see a lot of people in pain, most of them for their entire life, where the only option is to take pain medication that they will end up getting addicted to; marijuana could solve their problem. On the other hand, this would be a slap in the face, for the people that have been arrested for using marijuana for medicinal purposes. It is quite funny how the US, for so many years, has banned marijuana, and I know that we were quite aware of the wide variety of uses for marijuana. Maybe nothing was done due to the fact that it would look bad for all those exaggerated sentences for marijuana possession. Slowly but surely every state will pursue legalizing marijuana for the medicinal purposes because there are sick people in every state.

I do support legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. Reason being is because other drugs are being prescribed that many overdose on, so why not give marijuana a shot. However, some precautions must be taken. They must be able to regulate how much one can grow. The post said,"...if you use half of the harvest you may sell the rest to a dispensary for a maximum of $12,000." this indicates that many will see this as a money maker and cause a legalized form of dealing marijuana. Another major issue is, will the patients become addicted after the treatments are over. If they take it for so long they may enjoy the high and continue to do it after. Realistically there are loop-holes in every system and the person choses to abuses it. The idea of legalizing it and bringing it to Florida is a good idea this could be a great medical breakthrough.

I do support legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. Reason being is because other drugs are being prescribed that many overdose on, so why not give marijuana a shot. However, some precautions must be taken. They must be able to regulate how much one can grow. The post said,"...if you use half of the harvest you may sell the rest to a dispensary for a maximum of $12,000." this indicates that many will see this as a money maker and cause a legalized form of dealing marijuana. Another major issue is, will the patients become addicted after the treatments are over. If they take it for so long they may enjoy the high and continue to do it after. Realistically there are loop-holes in every system and the person choses to abuses it. The idea of legalizing it and bringing it to Florida is a good idea this could be a great medical breakthrough.

Idont know if the law would be for the good of the state or for the good of the people. In one hand you have people who suffer severe pain every day, take strong narcotics which cause minimal possitive side effects but at the same time are addicting,that would beneffit from the use of marijuana.On the other hand you are opening a new door for the drug to be more accessible to the public, it would be like selling liqour at the house at the corner to any kid who had a cold. There is many people who would cultivate the drug needing it and also to get profit out of it through ilegal means.

I personally think this act is stupid. people that need it for medical use.. yeah I understand all of that, but once they get better they are just going to abuse the privileges like any other thing in america. Take food stamps for example, I work at publix and I see people come through with food stamps cards and buy cakes, and chips, things that are not necessary to survive on. I think that if this whole grow thing were to come to Florida, people with that little card would just buy weed in bulk and then sell it to others that are willing to pay for it. This drug is illegal, and I do not think that making it readily available to the public is a smart idea. Who needs weed to make them "feel better" anyways? If you are going to die, then it is your time to go. It is a cycle of life. Why would you want to have to be high all your life in order to be happy? The whole thing is pointless to me.

In my opinion, I would support a similar measure for Florida because I believe if this is going to help all those sick people in Florida then I am all for it. It would be easier for all those sick people to get ahold of it. Research shows that the health benefits of marijuana can help with vomiting, nausea, arthritis, insomnia, and even seizures. With all those people diagnosed with these sicknesses, we need all the help we can get even if it is from a drug like marijuana. I am definitely not all for the legalization of it for those people who just uses it for other purposes not for their health isssues though. It should just be legalized for the people who are really in need of it like if it is a life or death situation.

I would agree with a similar method in Florida. Many people who are in need of medical marijuana find it hard to obtain the medicine they need. With the ease of Igrow, patience would be at a greater convenience. I find the law to legalize medical marijuana supply shops similar to many other laws in the United States. For medical purposes I would purpose that all US states legalize Igrow and other competitors. I believe Florida should first legalize the use of medical marijuana before trying to legalize supply shops. In addition to agreeing with the legalization of medical marijuana in Florida I believe our economy would be at an advantage.

I would support the act of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes only. Although marijuana has many health risks it is beneficial for multiple diseases and can be a substitute pain reliever. However, if marijuana becomes legalized, I feel like people will just abuse the drug even more then they already do. If marijuana becomes readily available for people to buy, I believe that many people will become psychologically additced to the drug and will become extremely harmful and dangerous to the public.

It would be a good idea to manufacture marijuana here in Florida in the comfort of patient's homes. It would create thousands of jobs, something that this state needs. It would also be profitable to tax it to make money for the state also. Many marijuana dealers might use this legal approach to grow marijuana for patients, to make money, and ot would also lower drug use on the streets.

I support the idea of having legal establishments selling marijauna for medical purposes. There's tons of commercials on tv for all sorts of medications that you take for the rest of your life with a list of possible and some serious side affects. Marijuana isn't a hundred percent healthy to consume but I think it has some less serious side affects. If it is actually easing these patient's pain, then what's wrong with it? Besides, the government is always trying to make a buck so it's helping the US while also helping it's citizens. I understand the negatives against having supply stores for cultivating marijuana. There's going to be more people trying to grow their own for whatever other purposes than medicinal. But if they need all these licenses and actually have medical professionals working in these places, I think it's beneficial. Crack down on the illegal activity.

I would not support a similar act in Florida. My younger brother has been convicted of 18 felonies here, and it all started with him smoking pot. Under the influence, he did some stupid things and then just continued down hill. He is 17 years old and can't get a job and if he makes on more mistake, he will be locked up for forty years. If we say that people can get a card for it, then people will begin bribing doctors for the card and abuse the drugs. It will do nothing but lead down a dark trail that we don't need here.

I would support a similar act in Florida. I don't see what the big deal is, if it helps sick people then it should be available for them. It wouldn't really make that much of a difference if they supplied it here for people with illnesses anyway because for marijuana smokers it's already very easy to get a hold of so it would really just benefit people who are sick and need it without the risk of getting penalized for smoking to feel better. Also, if patients that had a card that certified that they were in need of marijuana and it wasn't something that anyone can easily get through the hospital or doctors then I think it would be safe to make medicinal marijuana legal in Florida. Not much would change besides people in need would feel better.